Her Army Silhouette
by Mini Peacelet
Summary: Mini fanfiction. Based when Nikki, aged 19, is married to Stuart and they are in the army. My take on what happens when Nikki falls pregnant with Eve, sourced from the few details that we learnt when Eve initially showed up at Waterloo Road.
1. Chapter 1

**_A/N: _**_Hello again everyone. I've had this idea for ages and now that my on going fic is drawing to an end, I've finally got round to actually writing it. It'll only be a short fic, around five chapters I think. It's based with Nikki, aged 19, and she's just been deployed to Afghanistan for her first tour of duty. She's married to Stuart. And it's generally my take on what happens when she falls pregnant with Eve from what we already know from the show. Also, I don't really know much details about the army so sorry if it's wrong (feel free to correct me if you wish). I hope you like it. :)_

_(I originally tried to write this in first person but it turned out rubbish, so I adjusted it back to third person. I think it's all back in the same tense, but if it's not I apologise)._

_~Mini Peacelet~_

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><p>Her Army Silhouette - Part 1<p>

Finally, subsequently to endless hours of being cooped up in a dusky, specialised army aircraft, Nikki - and the others - were able to stretch their legs. A luxurious sensation. The blistering heat that intensely smothered her as soon as she exited the flying vehicle was not so pleasant or appreciated. The nineteen year old comprehended that it would be hot. But the temperatures were soaring beyond her imagination and anticipation. The protective gear that was standardly compulsory didn't help either; certainly not designed for the desert climate.

Civilisation was well and truly gone. This was the location that she would be spending the next six months of her life. Representing and defending her country. There would be no rest, a lack of concentration and vigilance for just a matter of seconds could result in devastating consequences.

Anxieties were high. The taste of tension burned against her lips. They were the latest cluster of troops to have completed the adequate training and have been deployed to Afghanistan. Non were certain of what to expect; were they all actually cut out to be soldiers?

Sand, sand and more sand. Sand rolled over the dense dunes that occupied the horizons in every direction. Dry, dusty roads that weren't clearly marked. People were already muttering about the sand, but what did they expect? The hint was in the desert detail. It was a contrasting environment to anything she had ever experienced.

Left. Right. Left. Right. Left. Right. The precise order of feet correlation had been drilled into the brunette's head, accurately in check with the other soldiers as they marched the trek to their base camp. The rucksack balancing on her shoulders that she once found awfully heavy now seemed as light as a feather. Gun slung over her shoulder; she was ready for action.

'Welcome to hell.' Her breath caught in the back of her throat as the three words engraved into one of the sandstone buildings of the base camp registered in her complex mind. Had she made the correct choice when electing her career path? Nikki had always been ambitious to make it as a corporal, sergeant or major.

"Are you okay?" A familiar voice interrupted her trance, tone laced with sincere care. Whirling around on her feet to face the male directly, she identified him as Stuart - her husband. They hadn't been married a great length of time; only a few months. Nobody was knowledgable about their marriage or even that we are in a relationship. It was highly confidential. Relationships were prohibited. The young woman wore her wedding ring on a secure chain around her neck, concealed by her attire.

She nodded apprehensively, "Yeah." He easily realised that she wasn't, her entire body language indicated to nerves as did the one word response. As the only female, she was the target for the lads teasing and tormenting - it didn't effect her though, she just dismissed their immature behaviour.

Stuart's lips descend into a curve, she had been truly hopeless at convincing him that she was perfectly fine, "Evidently you are not. Come on, Nik, you can talk to me." He lowered his pitch to a whisper to avoid granting themselves unwanted attention.

With a shrug, the new, inexperienced soldier pursed her lips together momentarily, "I'm just worried that I won't be able to cut it. You know that I'm perceived and labelled as the weaker member that nobody wants to work with." She sighed delicately, frustrated that she was automatically judged because of her gender.

Stifling a laugh, he then replied with some encouragement for his wife, "We're all worried about that. Give yourself a break, you are fitter than some of them by far, you have nothing to worry about. Once they see that you are serious and all that, you'll be fine."

Again, Nikki nodded. She was able to respond verbally though as their captain ordered them to regain their formation and they then proceeded to enter the newly constructed buildings that were considered as their new barracks. They were divided into groups and assigned where they would sleep, then left to rest after there long day travelling and to prepare for the day ahead tomorrow. The female was some what thankful that Stuart was one of the males that was sharing with her.

She chose to eat before everyone else, then returning to the room and changing into the vest top and jogging bottoms that were acting as pyjamas and climbed into her sleeping bag. She figured being settled and changed before the lads reemerged would prevent attention that she didn't want. Some had already labelled her as their 'eye candy'. Her hands grasped the edge of the typical shade of green sleeping back, pulling it closer. The temperates may have been scorching during daylight but they plummeted bitterly during the night.


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N **Thank you for the reviews and to anyone who read the first chapter. Sorry for taking so long to update, I inconveniently seem to have loads of story ideas and have been busy. This part is only short but I wasn't sure what else to write as it's just a filler and I wanted to get something up. I will soon get into the main part of this story. I'm not sure how the rankings work, so I'm using what google tells me..._

_A guest reviewer mentioned it reminding them of Our Girl; I've only watched fifteen minutes of the first episode and I couldn't really get into it, but the first half of this update may seem familiar as I have used the basis of an idea I saw on there. The only other army things I've watched is Ultimate Force and a few films._

_~Mini Peacelet~_

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><p>Her Army Silhouette - Part 2<p>

A sequences of expletives cascaded rapidly from her lips as she tugged the thorn coloured t-shirt over the skimpy top she had slept in. She was late - extremely late - for the morning run that would soon become routine. Because she had overslept, shattered from the long journey she had endured the previous day. It really wasn't a good start to her tour of duty.

What frustrated her even more was that non of her fellow soldiers who she shared the spacious tent with - including her husband - had woken her. Simply another indication that they were isolating her because of her gender. To a certain degree, she comprehended why Stuart hadn't awoken her, although it would have been helpful, he didn't want to attract attention to himself that could possibly generate suspicions between the pair.

"Private Boston."

That was the third time her General had called her name, each time with an increased volume. She could taste the impatience in his tone, the anger simmering. Nikki still wasn't dressed in the correct attire. Rushing, she shoved her feet into her boots and tied the laces, regaining her equilibrium and dashing out the tent, gun clutched to her chest.

"Sorry Sir, I overslept." Her voice was feeble and lacking confidence. An unwelcome vulnerable sensation fluttered inside the brunette, becoming increasingly insecure and self-conscious at the several pairs of prying eyes staring at her - all men. She perceived them snickering and tittering about her laughable clothing.

The General nodded bitterly with absence of sympathy, like many he didn't approve of a female in his congregate. "It's not a good start is it, Private Boston?" His tone was icy and authoritative; intimidating.

Despite the sun rising, generating a blitz of heated rays onto the desert land, temperatures escalating and ready to soar rapidly, Nikki felt a hostile and violent shiver prickle her spine, "No Sir. I'm sorry, I promise it won't happen again Sir."

"Go get yourself dressed properly! And quickly, don't you think you are escaping the gruelling morning run."

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><p>"You've had a relatively good day today haven't you?" As the other males filtered out the showers leaving just Stuart and Nikki, he had approached his wife quietly, coveting to check that she was okay subsequently to their first full day as fighting soldiers, and the antics that morning.<p>

The nineteen year old wasn't feeling quite so loquacious, truthfully rather cranky and moody towards her husband, "Yes." She refused to engage eye contact with him as she continued rinsing the soap suds from her body. She had managed to evade anymore trouble today, proving herself as equally skilled with her gun as the rest of her troop.

"Is something bothering you, you don't seem particularly happy?" He frowned as he noted her hostile attitude and behaviour. She didn't appear to have been like that with the other blokes who had spoken to her throughout the duration of the blistering day.

"What's bothering me?" Nikki scoffed bitterly as she glared at him grumpily, "You is what's bothering me. This morning you let me over sleep when you could have hung back when the others had gone and woken me then. Instead you chose to join them and isolate me out as the only female!" She huffed as she dramatically rolled her cornflower-blue orbs. "And I'm supposed to call you my bloody husband." She hissed under her breath, mutedly.

"Nik, you know I only did that so no one became dubious of us. They'll soon start to accept you when they see what an ace soldier you are. I'm sorry alright, I'll engage my brain in the future. You know I'd do anything to defend you, we both agreed we had to keep a low profile for the first few weeks at least." He moved his hand to rest delicately on her cheek.

She viscously swiped his hand away from her cheek but her action didn't even result in him blinking. Stuart was the type to persevere. So he raised his arm again, tentatively stroking her silky cheek with the pad of his thumb. He knew exactly what she liked, and what calmed her down when she was moody. Whilst they were alone, he wasn't going to miss the opportunity to kiss his lover, gradually brushing his lips against hers. "I love you." He murmured.

"Mm, whatever." The brunette grumbled and reluctantly stepped out of the jet of water, grabbing her towel and heading to get changed.


End file.
